Justice News

Flathead County man admits illegal possession of a machine gun, short barreled rifle, silencer and grenade

MISSOULA – Flathead County resident Bruce Boone Wann admitted in federal court today to firearms violations after an investigation found he illegally possessed a number of weapons and made an effort to hide them from law enforcement, U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme said.

Wann, 61, of Kila, pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a machine gun, an unregistered silencer, a short barreled rifle and a destructive device, specifically, a grenade. Wann is facing a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch presided at the hearing.

If the case had gone to trial, the government would have presented the following information as evidence:

During an investigation that began in June, law enforcement learned that Wann had kept buried or hidden firearms, ammunition, a grenade, dynamite, and other items on various properties in the Marion area. Wann claimed he had stolen some of the items from a government bunker in California many years earlier.

Wann later broke into a Flathead County residence where he had previously arranged for a number of his other firearms to be stored. Wann then took not only his firearms, but also stole other firearms that did not belong to him. Investigators also learned Wann had made various threats of violence against people in Flathead County.

Judge Lynch set sentencing for April 12. Wann is detained.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott and Taryn Meeks, a trial attorney with the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, prosecuted the case. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Secret Service and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.